Blank-feeding machine.



Patented Dec. 29, 1908.

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Patented Dec. 29, 1908.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

J. E. ABRAMS'. BLANK FEEDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 27, 1907.

, Patented Dec. 29,1908.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

' W/VNESSES.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

'JESSE E'. ABRAMS, SYRAOUSE'NE W YORK, ASSIGNOR TO CONTINENTAL CAN COMPANY,

OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION.

BLANK-FEEDING MACHINE To all whom it may concern:

Beitl nown that I, JEssE E. ABRAMS, citizen of the United States, residing at Syractse, in the county of Onondaga and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Blank-Feeding Machine, of which the following is a specification;

My invention relates to a feedin mechanism, wl1ereby'thin sheets of meta or other material are withdrawn with certaint one at a time, from the pile, and delivers rapidly and continuor sly, to the point at which the sheets are operated upon.

I have here shown my invention embodied in a form of machine particvlarly adapted for handling the body blanlsof which tin cans are made, but it will be understood that the form and arrangement of parts may he modified to adapt the invention to other similar purposes.

The important elements of my invention are a-magazine for the pile of sheets, a vacurm cup, means to move the cup into engagement with the outer sheet of the pile and means simultaneously to exhaust the air from within, and means then to retract the (up to strip the outer sheet from the pile. The vacuum is then cut off and the sheet delivered to any convenient receptacle, for instance, a horizontally arranged feed tahle, provided with a carrier, whereby the sheets are carried forward and delivered in succession to the body forming machine;

One important feature of my invention is some means slightly to resist the action of the cop in withdrawing-the sheet, so that the sheet'is slightly'bent before it is withdrawn. By this. thedanger is avoided of the second sheet clinging to the first either by air presr sure or by engagement of the rough edges,

and the. two sheets being withdrawn together.

My invention is shown in the drawing herewith in which- Figure I is a front elevation of the machineffig. II, a to lan; Fig. III,- a cross section on line III of I; Fig; IV, a partial section parallel to Fig. II showing the parts indifferent ositions'fFigs. V, VI and VII 59 are enlar ed? details showing the arrange ment an connections of the vacuum-arm,

valve etc. i

exaggerated to show howthe sheetis bent by the pull of the cup beforeit is separated l fromthe pile. Figs. IXpridX are res'pec- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 27, 1907. Serial No. 370,672.

Fig. VIII is a diagram somewhat Patented Dec. 29, 1908.

' i tively a section similar to Fig. IV and a partial rear elevation,- showing certain modifications.

' In the various fi ires of the drawing,'1 indicates the feed-table arranged intermediate of the feedin mechanism and the can-body forming. mac inc.

2 is the counter shaft for the feeding mechanism arranged in bearings 3 3 and operated from any suitable source of power. as

8 on main shaft 9. T is main chain 13, running in the longitudinal groove 10 in the feedtali-le, is provided with the fingers 14 to engage with the body blanks and deliver them through the rollers 11 to the body forming mechanism. This main chain may be fitted to a sprocl'et similar to sproclret 8 on shaft 9 and is carried over rollers 1'6 and 17. One or both of these rollers may he grooved, and to regulate the chain tension, the pintles of roller 17 may be fitted to a slot 18, and adjrsted therein by block 12 and screw 19. 21 and'22 are the side plates of the magazine arranged to extend substantially at a sion 25 of the table. Plate 21 is preferably fixed to the table and plate 22 adjustable in reference thereto by means of lugs a a andbolts b b, to vary the width of the magazine for sheets or blanl s of different sizes.

bottom bars 23 bolted to lugs 24 24 on t e inner face of the side plates. 26indicates the front bolts and 27 the rear bolts; the latbars 23, so that the inclination of these bars may be varied to promote more or less the down feed of the sheets against the stripping gages 30 secured to the front edges of the side plates.

32 is a rock-shaft fitted to bearings 33 at the front and'in the upper portion of the sid eplates. On this rock-shaft is secured the vacuum-cup arm 34 carrying the vacuum i on 35, made of rubber or other material 1 suitable for engagement with the sheets to be removed one by one from the magazine. I Said arm is provided with a channel 36 con- 2 meeting the cup to a channel 37 in a valve iecc 38 and thence b a nozzle 42 to an exaust ipe 43, where y the air may be ex mus y a suitable'air ump and a strong suction created t e cup. when the parts are in the' dbtted line position of by chain 5 engaging s rocket 7 and sproo e't right angle to the feed chain over an exten- The bottom of the magazine is formed of I A ter'are fitted to the slotted ends 28 of tie the sides of the pile.

IV. Channels 36 and 37 are then in alinement, but as the cup is swung out toward the position shown in full lines in Fig. IV, the end of channel 36 moves along the port or channel mouth 45. connected to the end of channel 37, until the connection with said ort and therefore with the exhaust pipe is liroken, and when finally the arm and cu are in the full line position of Fig. IV, channel 36 is in alinement with port 46, communicating with the outer air, and the vacuum in the cup is destroyed, the sheet to drop on the feed-ta le and be carried forward by the chain fingers, between the guides 48. On one of these guides there may be arranged a forked-stripper to insure the disengagement of the sheet from the cup at the proper time.

The valve-piece is formed with a tapering end (1 fitted to a corres onding depression in the cup-arm 34, (best shown in FigtV) and is held againstsaid armby means of a spring 41 and collar 40 on the shaft 32. The valvepiece is fitted to the shaft 32 but is prevented from turning therewith by arm f connected to arm g on'the side-plate by screw it; armf .is preferably slotted to permit adjustment of the valve-piece on the shaft, with reference to the cup-arm.

44 is a three-way valve in the exhaust pipe 42, whereby the exhaust may be shut off, and the feed mechanism stopped independently of the body forming machine.

The rock-shaft, cup-arm and cup are operated by a crank-lever 52 on the rock-shaft connected by a connecting-rod 53 to a crank 54, journaled on the side of the machine, substantially parallel to said lever, and also connected by a knuckle-joint connection 56 to a rod 57 connected toa crank 58 on the end of the countershaft 2.

Some form of weight breaking finger is desirable to engage with the pile of sheets S indicated in Figs. IV, VIIIand IX. and sustain a portion of the weight, relieving the pressure of the gages. cessive weight on the front sheet might make the withdrawal thereof difficult.

As shown in Figs. II and III, 60 are fingers secured to the side-plates at 61 and extending in through. slots 62 to engage with for the fingers, whose tension may be regulated by set-screws 64 in brackets 65.

In Figs. IX and X is shown a modification of these fingers. Here the fingers 67 are secured on a cross bar 68 between the sideplates and are made vertically adjustable by means of bolts 69 and slots 70 to engage with the pile at the top of the sheets. 72 is a retecting fingersecured to said cross-bar, w ich may be used to engage with the upper edge of the sheet to prevent it from pulling away and dropping out of the magaaine.

As shown in- IX, there is secured on ermitting Otherwise, the ex-' 63 are tension springs the extension 25 between the bars 2." 23. a bracket 7 5 having a longitudinal inclined slot 76. To said slot is fitted pin 77 of holding arm 78 drawn down by weight 79 on cord 80 running or er bearing 81 to engage with the r pile and promote a steady feed down thereof in the magazine, without danger of the sheets falling back.

82 is a handle on the holding arm and 83 a washer on the pin. the sheets are held in position and forced down positively with sufficient firmness. hen the pile in front of the holding-arm has diminished, another pile may be put in the magazine, and the holding arm rocked down from between the two and drawn back to the end of the slot as shown in dotted lines in Fig. IX. It is then released, to assume its normal position engaging with the rear of the total pile, to retain it and force it down as before.

Having thus described my invention, what I claimv as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a feeding mechanism for delivering thin metal sheets one by one from a pile, the combination with a feed-table having a longitudinal groove in its upper surface, an endless chain arranged in said groove and suitably supported, means to operate said chain, fingers on said chain, an inclined magazine arranged at a right angle to said feed-table and chain, stripping gages on the front of the magazine to support the pile of sheets, the opening between said strippim gages being slightly less than the width of the sheets, and means adapted to engage with the front sheet of the pile by suction, means to move said suction means into engagement with said front sheet and then to withdraw said suction means to draw out the front sheet be tween the gages and deliver it to the chain.

2. In a feeding machine for delivering sheets one by one from a pile, the combination with an inclined magazine for the pile composed of side-plates and bottom bars, of

means to vary the inclination of the bottombars, stripping gages secured to the sideplates at the front and extending s .ightly inwardly, a rock-shaft arranged in bearings near the front and at the top of the sido plates, a cup-arm secured on said shaft, a vacuum cup on said arm, said arm and cup being formed with a channel communicating with the interior of the cup, an exhaust pipe connected with said channel, means to rock the arm and move the cup into engagement with the front sheet of the pile, and then to withdraw the cup and the front sheet between said gages, and means connected with the pipe-first to create a vacuum in the cup and then to destroy the vacuum when the cup and sheet have been withdrawn.

3. a feeding machine for delivering thin metal sheetaene by one from a pile, com- VVith this arrangement,

I bination with a feed table having a longitudi- I i said end .of. the valve-piece adjacent to the C- tapering end of the valve-piece, a channel piece fitted to the shaft, and having one end inwardly, a rock-shaft arranged in bear- 7- fitting a corresponding depression in the cuphold the latter against the-cup-arm, means nal groove in its, upper surface, an endless main chain arranged in said groove and suitably supported, fingers on said chain means to operate the chain, an extension'on said table, parallel side plates arranged on said extension at a right angle-to th feed table and the chain, bottom bars arranged within the side.-plates,stripping gages secured to the front faces of the sideepieces anti exts-inding slightly inwardly, a rock-shaft arranged in hearings in the upper portion of the sideplates, a do'v'vnwardly depending cup-arm on said rock-shaft, a cup on said arm, a valvefitting against the cup-arm, a nozzle on the side of the valve-piece, an, exhaust pipe connected to sald nozzle, an elongated port in cup-arm, a channel from said port to the nozzle, an outer air port in said end of the valve; piece, a channel from the cup through the cup-arm adapted to connect first with the elongated port and then with the outer air port in the valve-piece as the shaft and cuparm are rocked, and means to rock the rockshaft. j a

4. In a feeding machine for delivering thin metal sheets one by one from a pile, parallel side plates on a suitable support, inclined bottom bars to support the pile arranged on the inner surfaces of the sideplates, stripping gages secured to the front faces of the side-plates and extending slightly ings in the upper portion of the side-plates, a downwardly depending cup-arm on said rockshaft, a cup on said arm, a valve-pieqc fitted to the shaft and having a tapering end arm, a collar fixed on the rock-shaft, a spring between the collar and the valve-piece to to prevent the valve-piece from rotating' 1 with the shaft, a nozzle on the side of the valve-piece, an exhaust pipe connected to said nozzle, an elongated port in said taner- E ing end of the valve-piece, a channel therefrom to the nozzle, anouter air port in the from the cup through the cup-arm adapted to connect first with the elongated port and then with the outer air port in the valvepiece as the shaft and cup-armare rocked,

'. and meansto rock the rock-shaft.

l l 5. In a feeding machine for. delivering thin metal sheets one by one from a pile, the combination with a feed table having a lon- I gitudinal groove in its upper surface, of parallel guides on the table on opposite sides 1 of the groove, an endless main chain ari ranged in said groove and supported on{ suitable rotating parts, fingers on'said chain, 5 an extension.. on said table, parallel side plates arranged on said extension at a right inner faces of the side-plates, means to vary the inclination of the bars, stripping gages,

angle to the feed table and the chain, one side-plate being fixed and the second adjustable in reference thereto, inclined bottom bars to support the pile arranged on the secured to the front faces of the side-plates and extending slightly inwardly, weightcarrying fingers on the side-plates to engage with thepile, a rock-shaft arranged in bearings at the upper portion of the front ends of the side-plates, a downwardly depending cup-arm on said rock-shaft, a cup on said arm a valve-piece fitted to the shaft and having a tapering end fitting a corresponding depression in the cup-'arn1, a collar fixed on the rock-shaft, a spring between the collar and the valve-pieceto hold the latter against the cup-arm, arms connected respectively to the valve-piece and the adiacent sideplate and an adiustable connection between stripper arrangedon one of the guides in the path 'of thecup and cup-arm to insure disengagement of the sheet from the cup, and means to rock the rock-shaft, cup-arm, and cup, substantially as described and shown.

6. In a feeding machine for delivering thin netal sheets one by one from apile, the combination with a feed-table having a longitudinal groove in its upper surface, of parallel guides on the table on opposite sidesrof the groove, a main shaft, a sprocket on said shaft, rollers journaled below the table, a main chain arranged in said groove and carried on said sprocket and rollers, fingers on said chain, a countcrshaft,'operative connections between said shafts, an extension on 1 said table, parallel side plates arranged on i said extension at a right angle to the'feedtable and the chain, one side-plate being fixed and the second adjustable in reference thereto, front and rear lugs on the innerfaces of the side-plates, bottom bars having slotted rear ends, bolts for bolting said bottom bars to the lugs. stripping gages secured to the front faces of the side-plates and extending slightly inwardly, weight-carrying fingers secured at the rear of the side plates and extending inwardly through slots to engage with the pile, flat tension springs on,-

aging with said fingers, adjusting screws hearing on said springs, a rock-shaft in bearings atthe upper portion of the front enda of having a p n engaging with said inc the shaft, a crank-lever on the rock-shatt, a

corresponding lower crank on the side-plate, a connecting-rod connecting the two cranks, a rod and knuckle-joint connection from the connectm -rod to the countershaft, a nozzle on the si e of the valve-piece, an exhaust pi connected to said nozzle, a three-way va vein said pi an elongated port in said taperin end of the valve-piece, a channel from said port to the. nozzle, an outer air port in the taperin end of the valve-piece, a channel from t e cu through the cup-arm adapted to connect rst with the elongated port and then with the outer air port in the valve-piece, as the shaft and cup-arm are rocked, a forked strip er arranged on one of the guides, in the pat of the cup and cuparm to insure disengagement of the sheet from-the cu a cross-bar between the tops of the side-p ates, a protecting finger on said bar to engage with the upper edge of the front sheet, a bracket having a longitudinal inclined slot arranged between the bottom bars, a holding arm ada ted to engage with the rear of the pile and having a pin engaing with said inclined slot, a downwardfy and rearwardly extending handle on the holding arm and a weight and cord connected to said holding arm to draw the arm against the pile, substantially as described and shown.

7. In a feeding mechanism for delivering sheets one by one from a pile, the combination with a suitable support, of parallel sideplates thereon, inclined bottom bars arranged within the side plates to support the ile, stripping gages extending within the ont faces of the side Iplates to retain the pile. a rock-shaft journa ed in the upper art of the side plates, a cu perm on the sha t, a rubber cup on the lower end of the arm, means to rock the shaft to bring the cup into engagement with the outer sheet of the pile and then to withdraw the on means to exhaunt the from the cup, a racket, having alongitudi nl inclined slot, arranged between the bottom. bars, a holding arm adaptm to engage with the rear of the pipe, and lined SlOt,

eons i4 a downwardly and rearwardly extending handle on the holding arm, and a weight and cord connected to said holding arm to draw the arm against the pile, substantially as described and shown. 8. In a feeding mechanism for delivering thin metal sheets one by one from a pile, the combination with a feed-table having a longitudinal groove in its up er surface, an endless chain arranged in said groove and suitably supported, means to operate said chain, fingers on said chain, an inclined magazine arranged at a right angle to said feed-table and chain, stripping gages on the front of the magazine to support the pile of sheets, the glpening between said stripping gages being ightly less than the width of the sheets, and means adapted to engage with the front sheet of the pile by suction, means to move said suction means into engagement with said front sheet and then to withdraw said suction means to draw out the front sheet, between the gages and deliver it to the chain. 9. In a feeding mechanism for the body blanks of cans, the combination with a horizontal feed table to receive the sheets flat, of a carrier to move the sheets forward on the table, a magazine to receive the pile of sheets on edge, said magazine being inclined downwardly toward the table gages spaced apart to engage h the front and lower sheet of the pile and hold the pile back in the magazine, means to engage the front and lower sheet of the pile and withdraw it between the gages; and means to disengage i the sheet from the engaging means when the sheet has been so withdrawn.

10. In a feeding mechanism for the body blanks of cans, the combination with a llOIlzontal feed table to receive the sheets flat, of a carrier to move the sheets forward on the table, a magazine to receive the pile of sheets on edge, said magazine being inclined downwardly toward the table gages spaced apart to engage with the front and lower sheet of the pile and hold the pile back in the magazine, means to engage the front and lower sheet of the pile and Withdraw it between the gages; means to break the engagement of said engaging means with the sheet w hen the sheet has been so withdrawn and an arm arranged in the path of the sheet when being withdrawn to insure said disengagement.

in testimony whereof I have signed my name to this smcification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

E. ABRAMS.

Witnesses:

F. P. AssMANN, FRANK J. ONEILL. 

